HC wants fast disposal of traffic-related cases

To ensure speedy disposal of trials in traffic-related offences, the Bombay High Court on Thursday directed metropolitan magistrates to reserve a day every fortnight for hearing cases of traffic-related offences.

The court asked the state government to set up mobile courts to hear these cases.

"We will ensure that magistrates earmark one day in a fortnight for these (traffic) offences," a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice SJ Kathawala said, while hearing public interest litigation filed by Bombay Bar Association.

The high court also directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to finish the painting of zebra crossings across the city by January 31.

Armin Wandrewala, who has filed an intervention application in the PIL, told the court that at some signals, both, pedestrians and motorists get the green signal at the same time because the traffic signals are malfunctioning.

The BMC clarified that the phase-wise painting of zebra crossings had been undertaken but because of work at construction sites for the Metro, and flyovers, some of the paint has been erased. The court has given the state government time until January 17 to file an affidavit listing steps taken to tackle violation of traffic rules.